 YDROGEN PEROXIDE IS ONE of the few simple miracle substances still available to the public. Most of us started on hydrogen peroxide shortly after birth. Not only does mother's milk contain high amounts of H2O2, the amount contained in the first milk (colostrum) is even higher. This seems only reasonable now that we know one of its main functions is to activate and stimulate the immune system. Although there are pr obably some individuals whose health and well-being would not be enhanced with hydrogen peroxide, there are also millions of others who are suffering needlessly because they either do not know about hydrogen peroxide or they have been misinformed about its use.
Hydrogen peroxide is odorless and colorless but not tasteless. When stored under the proper conditions, it's a very stable compound. When kept in the absence of light and contaminants, it dismutates (breaks down) very slowly, at the rate of about ten percent per year. But when exposed to other compounds, hydrogen peroxide dismutates readily; it releases the extra oxygen atom and leaves H2O (water). In nature, oxygen (O2) comprises two atoms, a stable combination. A single atom of oxygen, however, is very reactive and is referred to as a free radical. Over the past several years, we've continually read that these free radicals are responsible for all kinds of ailments and even premature aging. What many writers seem to forget, however, is that our bodies create and use free radicals to destroy harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In fact, the cells responsible for fighting infection and foreign invaders in the body (your white blood cells) make hydrogen peroxide and use it to oxidize any offending culprits. Indeed, the the intense bubbling you see when hydrogen peroxide comes in contact with a bacteria-laden cut or wound is the oxygen being released and bacteria being destroyed (O2, Bruti?). So H2O2 is not some undesirable byproduct or toxin but a basic ingredient for good health. And the ability of our cells to produce it is essential for life.
Hydrogen peroxide is safe, readily available and cheap. And best of all, it works! No one yet fully understands the complete workings of hydrogen peroxide. We do know that it is loaded with oxygen. (A pint of the food-grade 35% solution contains the equivalent of 130 pints of oxygen. A pint of 3% hydrogen peroxide found at the local drugstore contains 10 pints of oxygen. And a pint of the 6% solution used to bleach hair contains 20 pints of oxygen.) We also know that when H2O2 is taken into the body (orally or intravenously) the oxygen content of the blood and body tissues increases dramatically. Early researchers felt these increases were simply due to the extra oxygen molecule being released. This doesn't, however, appear to be the case.
Only very diluted amounts of H2O2 are ever introduced into the body. The small amount of oxygen present couldn't possibly account for the dramatic changes that take place. Dr. Charles Farr, a strong proponent of intravenous use, has discovered another possible answer. Dr. Farr has shown that hydrogen peroxide stimulates enzyme systems throughout the body. This triggers an increase in the metabolic rate, causes small arteries to dilate and increase blood flow, enhances the body's distribution and consumption of oxygen, and raises body temperature (Proceedings of the International Conference on Bio-Oxidative Medicine 1989, 1990, 1991). Father Richard Willhelm We are just beginning to learn exactly how H2O2 works. The English medical journal, Lancet, back in 1920 reported that intravenous infusion was used successfully to treat pneumonia in the epidemic following World War I. In the 1940's Father Richard Willhelm, the pioneer in promoting peroxide use, reported on H2O2being used extensively to treat everything from bacterial-related mental illness to skin disease and polio. Father Willhelm is the founder of "Educational Concern for Hydrogen Peroxide" (or ECHO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public on the safe use and therapeutic benefits of hydrogen peroxide). Much of the interest in hydrogen peroxide waned in the 1940's when prescription medications came on the scene. Since that time there has been little economic interest in funding peroxide research. After all, it's dirt cheap and non-patentable. Even still, in the last 25 years, over 7,700 articles relating to hydrogen peroxide have been written in the standard medical journals. Thousands more, involving its therapeutic use, have appeared in alternative health publications. The number of conditions helped by hydrogen peroxide is astounding. The reported dangers and side effects are few and often conflicting. Emphysema Let's look at several conditions that seem to respond especially well to H2O2 therapy. First, keep in mind that there are two methods of administering the peroxide: orally and intravenously. While most conditions respond remarkably to oral ingestion, emphysema is one condition in which intravenous infusion can be a godsend. Emphysema involves destruction of the alveoli (the small air sacs in the lungs). Although chemical fumes and other irritants can cause the destruction, it is most often the result of smoking. As the disease progresses, the patient finds it more and more difficult to breathe. A wheel chair and supplemental oxygen become necessary as the disease progresses. Lack of adequate oxygen reaching the tissues forces the heart to pump more forcefully. This leads to high blood pressure, enlargement of the heart itself and eventually heart failure. Conventional medicine offers little help for emphysema. There is no cure. The best that can be hoped for is symptomatic relief and the prevention of any serious complications that might result in death. H2O2 therapy can offer more. Using one ounce of 35% peroxide per gallon of non-chlorinated water in a vaporizer improves nighttime breathing tremendously. But intravenous infusion holds the real key to relief. It has the ability to cleanse the inner lining of the lungs and restore the ability to breathe.
We continue to hear the same story from Dr. Farr and others who use intravenous infusion for emphysema and congestive lung problems. Within minutes oxygen from hydrogen peroxide begins to bubble up between the membrane lining the lungs sacs and the accumulated mucus. (Dr. Farr refers to this as the "Alka-Seltzer effect.") The patient begins to cough and expel the material that has accumulated in the lungs. The amount of bubbling, coughing and cleansing can be regulated by simply turning the H2O2 on and off. As the peroxide clears the lung surface and destroys the bacterial infections, the patient regains the ability to breath more normally. There have been reports from patients for whom the technique has improved breathing so much that a wheelchair and supplemental oxygen are no longer needed. If you would like to find a doctor in your area trained in the use of intravenous H2O2 infusion, contact the International Bio-Oxidative Medicine Foundation (IBOM), P.O. Box 13205, Oklahoma City, OK 73113 at (405) 478-4266. They can provide names and addresses of doctors using the procedure in your area.
If emphysema were the only ailment successfully treated with H2O2 therapy, it would still rank as one of the top health discoveries of all time. But, happily, H2O2 works wonders on a multitude of health problems. It does so by increasing tissue oxygen levels. A closer look at how we have decreased the availability of external and internal oxygen shows you just how important this can be. If you were not too occupied with trying to hide dissection specimens in the other student's desks, you might remember from elementary science courses that our atmosphere contains about 20 percent oxygen. That's under ideal circumstances. It has recently been reported that in many of our more polluted cities the levels have dropped to around 10 percent. And everyone, by now, knows the oxygen-generating rain forests are being destroyed worldwide, which further reduces available oxygen. (Continued in right-hand column)
| (Continued from left-hand column) Internal oxygen availability is also under attack Chlorination of drinking water removes oxygen. Cooking and over-processing of our foods lowers their oxygen content. Unrestrained antibiotic use destroys beneficial oxygen-creating bacteria in the intestinal tract. Dr. Johanna Budwig of Germany has shown that for proper cellular utilization of oxygen to take place, our diets must contain adequate amounts of unsaturated fatty acids. Unfortunately, the oils rich in these fatty acids have become less and less popular with the food industry. Their very nature makes them more biologically active, which requires more careful processing and gives them a shorter shelf-life. Rather than deal with these challenges, the food industry has turned to the use of synthetic fats and dangerous processes like hydrogenation.
It's obvious that our oxygen needs are not being met. Several of the most common ailments now affecting our population are directly related to oxygen starvation. Asthma, emphysema and lung disease are on the rise, especially in the polluted metropolitan areas. Cases of constipation, diarrhea, intestinal parasites and bowel cancer are all on the upswing. Periodontal disease is endemic in the adult population of this country. Cancer of all forms continues to increase. Immune system disorders are sweeping the globe. Chronic fatigue, "Yuppie Flu" and hundreds of other strange viral diseases have begun to surface. Ironically, many of the new "miracle" drugs and nutritional supplements used to treat these conditions work by increasing cellular oxygen (oftentimes through H2O2 formation). For example, the miracle nutrient Coenzyme Q10 helps regulate intercellular oxidation. Organic germanium, which received considerable publicity not too long ago, also increases oxygen levels at the cellular level. And even substances like niacin and vitamin E promote tissue oxidation through their dilation of blood vessels.
Hydrogen peroxide is only one of the many components that help regulate the amount of oxygen getting to your cells. Its presence is vital for many other functions as well. It's required for the production of thyroid hormone and sexual hormones. (Mol Cell Endocrinol 86;46(2): 149-154) (Steroids 82;40(5):5690579). It stimulates the production of interferon (J Immunol 85;134(4):24492455). It dilates blood vessels in the heart and brain (Am J Physiol 86;250 (5 pt 2): H815-821 and (2 pt 2):H157-162). It improves glucose utilization in diabetics (Proceedings of the IBOM Conference 1989, 1990, 1991). The closer you look at hydrogen peroxide, the less surprising it becomes that it can help such a wide variety of conditions.
The following is only a partial listing of conditions in which H2O2 therapy has been used successfully. (Many of these conditions are serious, if not life-threatening.) Allergies | Diabetes Type 11 | Influenza | Altitude Sickness | Diabetic Gangrene | Insect Bites | Alzheimer's | Diabetic Retinopahty | Liver Cirrhosis | Anemia | Digestion Problems | Lupus Erythematosis | Arrhythmia | Epstein-Barr Infection | Multiple Sclerosis | Asthma | Emphysema | Parasitic Infections | Bacterial Infections | Food Allergies | Parkinsonism | Bronchitis | Fungal Infections | Prostatitis | Cancer | Gingivitis | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Candida | Headaches | Shingles | Cardiovascular Disease | Herpes Simplex | Sinusitis | Cerebral Vascular Disease | Herpes Zoster | Ulcers | Chronic Pain | HIV Infection | Viral Infections |
Grades of Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is available in various strengths and grades, listed below.
1.) 3.5% Pharmaceutical Grade: This is the grade sold at your local drugstore or supermarket. This product is not recommended for internal use. It contains an assortment of stabilizers that shouldn't be ingested. Various stabilizers include: acetanilide, phenol, sodium stanate and tertrasodium phosphate.
2.) 6% Beautician Grade: This is used in beauty shops to color hair. Contains stabilizers and is not recommended for internal use.
3.) 30% Reagent Grade: This is used for various scientific experimentation and also contains stabilizers. It is also not for internal use.
4.) 30% to 32% Electronic Grade: This is used to clean electronic parts and is not for internal use.
5.) 35% Technical Grade: This is a more concentrated product than the Reagent Grade and differs slightly in that phosphorus is added to help neutralize any chlorine from the water used to dilute it. Not for internal use.
6.) 35% Food Grade: This is used in the production of foods like cheese, eggs and whey-containing products. It is also sprayed on the foil lining of aseptic packages containing fruit juices and milk products. THIS IS THE ONLY GRADE RECOMMENDED FOR INTERNAL USE. It is available in pints, quarts, gallons, and even drums.
7.) 90%: This is used as an oxygen source for rocket fuel. Don't drink! Dont' even approach!
Only 35% Food Grade hydrogen peroxide is recommended for internal use. At this concentration, however, hydrogen peroxide is a very strong oxidizer, and if not diluted it can be extremely dangerous or even fatal. Any concentrations over 10% can cause neurological reactions and damage to the upper gastrointestinal tract. There have been two known fatalities in children who ingested 27% and 40% concentrations of H2O2. Recently, a 26-month-old female swallowed one mouthful of 35% H2O2. She immediately began vomiting, followed by fainting and respiratory arrest. Fortunately, she was under emergency room care and although she experienced erosion and bleeding of the stomach and esophagus, she survived the incident. When she was re-examined 12 days later, the areas involved had healed (J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 90;28(1):95-100).
There are now numerous hydrogen peroxide products on the market. Some are simply peroxide that has been flavored and mixed with sea minerals, aloe vera, inner tree bark or other ingredients to make the peroxide more palatable (Superoxy, Oxy Toddy, etc.).
Others claim to have developed products that deliver more oxygen than does simple hydrogen peroxide (Aerox, Anti-Oxid-10, Di-Oxychloride, Aerobic 07, Aqua Pure, etc.). You'll end up paying a small fortune but, at best, achieving the same results you get for pennies by using hydrogen peroxide.
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